Common use of Botswana Clause in Contracts

Botswana. Wildlife Poisoning Working Group, comprising wildlife stakeholders, has just been formed and poisoning protocols have been drafted. The aim is to ultimately have a Lead Poisoning Working Group that will specifically address the threat posed by lead to wildlife and wetlands and advocate for the phasing out of use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands. In 2021, the Namibian Wildlife Lead (Pb) Poisoning Working Group was established. This Working Group endeavours to incentivise the transition of hunting and the wildlife sector to lead-free ammunition, including by awareness-raising, testing and providing information on non-lead alternatives, research into lead in wildlife meat on markets, supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to transition to using lead-free ammunition, and exploring the introduction of an environmental levy on lead ammunition and a waiver of taxes on lead-free ammunition. (See further ▇▇▇▇▇://▇-▇-▇.▇▇▇/namibian-wildlife-lead-poisoning-working-group) SA Wingshooters and the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) both have position statements recommending that their members not shoot over wetlands with lead shot, and the SAHGCA is undertaking ongoing awareness raising amongst its members and the general public on the risks associated with the use of lead-based ammunition. In the Gauteng province, it has been recommended for several years that all hunting licenses and permits to ▇▇▇▇ damage causing waterfowl (e.g. Egyptian Geese on golf estates) include a condition that no hunting is permitted over wetlands and that no lead shot may be used when hunting near wetlands or rivers where there is potential for shot to drop into water. Compliance is not monitored. However, GDARDE has communicated this issue in meetings with representatives of the local wingshooter community and they agree that this is a necessary measure. Despite the above, the availability and affordability of lead-free shotgun ammunition remains a significant hurdle. No lead-free shotgun shells are currently manufactured in South Africa, with the result that they have to be imported at six times the price of standard lead shotgun shells. South Africa’s Lead Task Team (LTT) (a multi-stakeholder forum, which was established by government in 2019) endeavours to ensure that wildlife in South Africa is not harmed by exposure to lead. The LTT’s activities include, inter alia, awareness raising, identifying and filling research gaps, providing policy and management guidance, and active engagement with affected parties. Its current Action Plan envisions actions to ensure the local production of lead-free ammunition (including 12- guage shotgun shells) and that such ammunition is sold by the majority of ammunition retailers. To this end, the South African government is being encouraged to take steps to attract the manufacture of non- lead ammunition to South Africa. However, the LTT’s work has, thus far, had little focus on enhancing the demand for, and availability of, shotgun shells specifically and it has been agreed that a dedicated workshop is needed on this topic. The LTT’s Action Plan also envisions the adoption of measures by conservation agencies to reduce lead exposure and impacts in protected areas. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has drafted a policy and Standard Operating Procedure (including transitional arrangements) regarding the use of non-lead ammunition in the protected areas it manages and other provincial conservation agencies are being encouraged to take similar measures. The LTT recently submitted comments on South Africa’s draft Game Meat Strategy, in which it advocated for the regulation of lead levels in game meat intended for human consumption.

Botswana. Wildlife Poisoning Working Group, comprising wildlife stakeholders, has just been formed and poisoning protocols have been drafted. The aim is to ultimately have a Lead Poisoning Working Group that will specifically address the threat posed by lead to wildlife and wetlands and advocate for the phasing out of use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands. In 2021, the Namibian Wildlife Lead (Pb) Poisoning Working Group was established. This Working Group endeavours to incentivise the transition of hunting and the wildlife sector to lead-free ammunition, including by awareness-raising, testing and providing information on non-lead alternatives, research into lead in wildlife meat on markets, supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to transition to using lead-free ammunition, and exploring the introduction of an environmental levy on lead ammunition and a waiver of taxes on lead-free ammunition. (See further ▇▇▇▇▇://▇-▇-▇.▇▇▇/namibian-wildlife-lead-poisoning-working-group) SA Wingshooters and the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) both have position statements recommending that their members not shoot over wetlands with lead shot, and the SAHGCA is undertaking ongoing awareness raising amongst its members and the general public on the risks associated with the use of lead-based ammunition. In the Gauteng province, it has been recommended for several years that all hunting licenses and permits to ▇▇▇▇ damage causing waterfowl (e.g. Egyptian Geese on golf estates) include a condition that no hunting is permitted over wetlands and that no lead shot may be used when hunting near wetlands or rivers where there is potential for shot to drop into water. Compliance is not monitored. However, GDARDE has communicated this issue in meetings with representatives of the local wingshooter community and they agree that this is a necessary measure. Despite the above, the availability and affordability of lead-free shotgun ammunition remains a significant hurdle. No lead-free shotgun shells are currently manufactured in South Africa, with the result that they have to be imported at six times the price of standard lead shotgun shells. South Africa’s Lead Task Team (LTT) (a multi-stakeholder forum, which was established by government in 2019) endeavours to ensure that wildlife in South Africa is not harmed by exposure to lead. The LTT’s activities include, inter alia, awareness raising, identifying and filling research gaps, providing policy and management guidance, and active engagement with affected parties. Its current Action Plan envisions actions to ensure the local production of lead-free ammunition (including 12- 12-guage shotgun shells) and that such ammunition is sold by the majority of ammunition retailers. To this end, the South African government is being encouraged to take steps to attract the manufacture of non- non-lead ammunition to South Africa. However, the LTT’s work has, thus far, had little focus on enhancing the demand for, and availability of, shotgun shells specifically and it has been agreed that a dedicated workshop is needed on this topic. The LTT’s Action Plan also envisions the adoption of measures by conservation agencies to reduce lead exposure and impacts in protected areas. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has drafted a policy and Standard Operating Procedure (including transitional arrangements) regarding the use of non-lead ammunition in the protected areas it manages and other provincial conservation agencies are being encouraged to take similar measures. The LTT recently submitted comments on South Africa’s draft Game Meat Strategy, in which it advocated for the regulation of lead levels in game meat intended for human consumption.